1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording device which exposes a recording medium on the basis of image data so as to record an image on the recording medium, and subjects the recording medium, on which the image has been recorded, to developing and to drying, and thereafter, discharges the recording medium as a print.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printer processors, which serve as image recording devices which form images on photographic printing papers on the basis of image data recorded on photographic films or the like and discharge the photographic printing papers as photographic prints, have been utilized conventionally.
In the printer of the printer processor, a film image recorded on a photographic film, for example, is exposed onto a photographic printing paper on the basis of image data read by dividing the film image into respective color components of R, G, B, such that an image is recorded onto the photographic printing paper. Next, in the processor of the printer processor, developing and fixing are carried out on the photographic printing paper on which the image has been recorded, and the photographic printing paper which has been wet by the developing and fixing is dried at a drying section, and then the photographic printing paper is discharged as a photographic print.
In such a printer processor, the printer and the processor are connected. The photographic printing paper, on which an image has been recorded in the printer, is subjected, as is, to developing in the processor, such that photographic prints can be produced efficiently.
However, because the printer and the processor are disposed adjacent to one another, the surface area required for placement of the printer processor is large. Accordingly, there has been the demand to reduce the space (surface area) occupied by the printer processor, in order to effectively utilize the limited space within a store when the printer processor is set within the store.
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording device in which less surface area is required for placement of the image recording device.
An image recording device relating to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: a supplying section for supplying recording media; an image recording section for exposing, on the basis of digital image data, the recording media supplied from the supplying section, so as to record images on the recording media; a developing section for developing the recording media on which the images have been recorded; a drying section for drying the recording media that have been developed; and a sealing mechanism, provided between the image recording section and one of the developing section and the drying section, for preventing one of heat and vapor from one of the developing section and the drying section from entering the image recording section, wherein the image recording section is disposed above or below the developing section.
An image recording device relating to a second aspect of the present invention comprises: a supplying section for stocking and supplying sheet-shaped recording media; an image recording section for exposing, on the basis of digital image data, the recording media supplied from the supplying section, so as to record images on the recording media; a developing section for developing the recording media on which the images have been recorded; and a drying section for drying the recording media that have been developed, wherein the image recording section is disposed above or below the developing section.
An image recording device relating to a third aspect of the present invention comprises: a supplying section for supplying recording media; an image recording section for exposing, on the basis of digital image data, the recording media supplied from the supplying section, so as to record images on the recording media; a developing section for developing the recording media, on which the images have been recorded; a drying section for drying the recording media that have been developed; and a distributing section for distributing the recording media supplied from the supplying section into plural rows in a direction orthogonal to the recording media conveyance direction, wherein the image recording section is disposed above or below the developing section, and the distributing section is disposed between the supplying section and the image recording section or between the image recording section and the developing section.
In the image recording device relating to the present invention, at least an image recording section (printer), which exposes recording media and records images thereon, and a developing section (processor), which carries out developing (including developing, fixing and washing processes) on the recording media on which the images are formed, which were disposed so as to be lined up next to each other in the conventional art, are disposed one above the other. Thus, the surface area needed for placing the image recording apparatus can be reduced.
Further, in the image recording device of another embodiment further comprises a distributing section for distributing the recording media supplied from the supplying section into plural rows in a direction orthogonal to the recording media conveyance direction, wherein the distributing section is disposed between the supplying section and the image recording section or between the image recording section and the developing section.
Furthermore, in the image recording device of still another embodiment further comprises a consolidating section for consolidating the plural rows of the recording media, downstream from the drying section in the recording media conveyance direction, into a single row.